I learnt a valuable lesson last weekend. The lesson that even the smallest kayak journey should be planned and you should always have the right kayak accessories and kit with you regardless of how far you intend to paddle or how experienced you may be. There is no room for complacency especially when going to unknown territories.

At around 3pm on a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon my good friend Joel suggested we go for a quick paddle around our local marina where our Norman cruiser is moored. Although still hung over from a 40th Birthday celebration the night before I wanted to test out my new Moll fibreglass kayak paddles and also a new waterproof camera I had just purchased so I agreed to have the gentlest of paddles around the Marina.

We did have two inflatable kayaks on the boat but could not be bothered to pump them up for such a short trip so decided to use the Sundance Perception kayaks which luckily had been left on the boat from a previous trip.

In no time at all we were on the water and the cleansing feeling of being out paddling was doing my hangover the world of good.  As we were only paddling around the marina I didn’t have many kayak accessories with me, just my PDF, mobile phone, waterproof camera and paddles.

We decided to venture along The Twizzle a tidal channel running along the south of Horsey Island. I had pretty much shaken off my hangover and was delighted how my new paddles were performing.  I had paddled along this route once before and knew a nice beach head only a ten or fifteen minute paddle where we could stop and have a cuppa.

We paddled on and after a short time we had pulled onto the small beach just next to a jetty. It was an absolutely gorgeous summer evening and the sun kissed water was simply stunning.  The Walton Backwater is extremely beautiful and is home to many migratory and rare birds.

After landing the kayaks we climbed a small sea wall that ran along the beach in order to find a nice spot to have a drink and soak up the evening sun. After what seemed like a short time but upon reflection was probably nearly an hour we decided it was time to be heading back.  

As we went back over the wall we could see the tide was well on its way out. Fortunately their was a jetty running into the channel (we have since discovered the jetty is in fact the Island Road which floods when the time comes in) so we walked along the jetty until we thought it would be deep enough to put in.

We put in when there were a few inches of water and began bumping along in our kayak seats in order to get into deeper water.  After about twenty yards of bumping our perception kayaks along we were still not afloat and after another fifty yards of bumping and digging our paddles in the mud we were still not afloat.

It then occurred to us that we may be on a huge sand bank which may go on for hundreds of yards. If we carried on trying to bump our boats along we would soon become exhausted and end up being stuck in the clay mud that surrounds Horsey Island.  Whilst the Walton Backwaters are an extremely beautiful location they can be very deceptive and due to the many creeks and sand banks they are terribly difficult to navigate.  

I made a decision to get out of my boat and push us back to the Island in order that we could walk along on hard ground and try and get into deeper water further along. I knew this wouldn’t be a nice experience as I had previously walked bare foot in this mud and ended up cutting my feet quite badly. We were in fact in a place called Oyster Bay which runs along the south side of Horsey Island. I only had a pair of trainers on and knew they would be sucked off my feet within a few steps so I had no option but to go bare feet. One of the most important kayak accessories to buy is a good pair of kayak boots especially if you are paddling in this type of terrain.

As soon as got out of my kayak I was knee deep in mud. Joel stayed in his kayak and I lay across the sterns of both boats and pushed us back to the island. As it was only around fifty yards back and most of my weight was spread across the kayaks luckily my feet did not sustain any cuts.  Once back on the Island we began dragging the boats along the marshland. The perception kayaks are less than ten feet long and weigh less than forty pounds so pulling them along was not that difficult, well not to begin with!

As the tide goes out the Islands cliff banks are exposed. This makes spotting where the deep water is easier but of course harder to get into.  From the marshland we could see that the tide had retreated much further than the channel we came in on. It would be impossible to re enter the channel from where we had hoped.  There was no other option but to try and walk back until we either arrived back at the marina or found some deep water.

Walking back along the Island was far from easy. The ground was boggy and splintered by many creeks which in turn we had to jump (often ending in us going up to our knees in mud on the other side) and throw, drag and rope the kayaks across.
To make matters infinitely worse the sun was now setting and we were quickly running out of good light making jumping across the creeks even more hazardous.

We could see the masts of boats in the harbour in the distance but didn’t seem to be getting any closer. As we had planned only to have a quick paddle around the marina we were ill prepared for what was happening. I only had a short sleeved shirt on and with the Sun going down I was starting to feel the cold. In fact together with having little sleep the night before, the cold no food or water and dragging the kayaks for two miles I have to admit I was becoming worried about our predicament. Neither of us had a torch and so if we did not make it back before dark it would be extremely dangerous to cross the creeks without being able too see where we were jumping.

It felt like we were in a giant maze as we zig zagged back and forward trying to find the narrowest point at which to jump the creeks whilst at the same time maintain our general direction towards the harbour.  We could not believe our luck that our short gentle paddle had turned into this. However if the truth is known it was nothing to do with luck but just down to our lack of respect for the tides, bad planning even if it was just a short journey and the failure to have the right kayak accessories with us.

We tried to keep each other motivated and although it was only about three miles back to the harbour it felt far more as we constantly had to back track to find better crossing points. We were racing against the Sun trying desperately to sustain momentum and not become too disheartened when our path was blocked by a creek that was too wide to leap across or get the kayaks over.

As the Sun started to drop behind the horizon we finally made it to a point where we could see deep water. The only thing in front of us was a mud beach. Although only about fifty yards wide we knew this was fresh and wet mud that would be a nightmare to go across. The beach was also quite steep. At that point in time we were so tired and desperate to get back into deep water we had to go for it.

We also had an idea. In view of the abrupt angle the beach slopped down to the water we knew we would have a good chance of making the water or at least getting a lot closer if we used our Perception kayaks as bobsleighs!

We both adopted a Thelma and Louise stance, held onto the cockpit combing and took a few steps back.  “Ready? Go on three” Joel said as he nervously glanced across at me. “C’mon then” I mumbled back.

On the count of three we both ran towards the beach. I am not sure what happened to Joel on the way down but I did hear some whooping noises that sounded like he was having fun. As I reached the top of the beach I lunged forward and lay flat down on top of the kayak. I skidded at speed towards the bottom of the beach and just before I reached the waters edge I managed to steer the kayak sideways and get a leg out into the mud to stop myself plunging head first into the water. Wow! what a rush I never imagined I would ever be using my kayak as a bobsleigh! If I was twelve years old I would have dragged my boat back up the beach and bobsleighed down all day long, but I’m not and at thirty nine I should really know better.

As we got back into our kayaks the tiredness and worry seemed to melt away probably from the adrenaline of sliding down the beach or more likely because we had all but walked back to the marina which was now only a few hundred yards away. Covered in mud and clay we skulked under the cover of dusk back into the harbour hoping no one had seen our escapades.

As we paddled back to our pontoon a man sailing a yacht did comment on the state of us.  All we could do was sheepishly smile back and nod with embarrassment.

Safely back at the marina but covered in mud I rang my wife who brought us some clean clothes, food and water together with a look and grin fitting for our humiliation.

I learnt some important lessons that day and list them in no particular order but to remind me and warn others that even the simplest and shortest kayak journeys need to be planned and prepared for.

1.    When paddling at Sea or in tidal estuaries always know what the tide is doing and respect it accordingly.
2.    First hand knowledge of an area is better than maps or aerial photographs. Before paddling off to pastures new try to get hold of as much local knowledge of an area from someone who has been there before. Ask your local kayak dealer what to look out for on a particular journey.
3.    Be prepared. Always take essential kayak accessories with you together with food and drink.
4.    Make sure you are dressed properly. If we had had proper boots instead of trainers we could have walked easily in the mud. And could have walked straight out into the channel when we first put in.
5.    Take a detailed map with you.
6.    Have spare warm clothes in a dry bag and back at your put in point to avoid having to ring smug wives.
7.    Always have a plan agreed by you and you’re paddling buddy and stick to it as much as possible.
8.    Take a good line.  If we had had this we could have pulled the boats across the creeks a lot easier.
9.    Have a dry bag with all your necessary kayak accessories pre packed and stowed on the boat so it is always with you even on short paddles.
10.    NEVER! Go kayaking with a hangover; it’s just not worth it!